The present invention relates to cellular telephone systems, automobile security systems and associated apparatus.
Cellular telephone usage has grown rapidly in recent years out of a recognition of the value of ambulatory voice and data communication capabilities. There has been an associated growth in products and services related to the cellular telephone. Many manufacturers have introduced and continue the introduction of a myriad of cellular telephones with varied features, functions and protocols. Presently, with an appropriate interface, a cellular telephone may be interconnected to a facsimile machine, an answering machine, or an autodialer to name a few. While the capability of the typical cellular telephone system has grown, cellular telephones have not heretofore been adequately adapted to enhance the security of the host vehicle. This task has remained almost exclusively in the province of vehicle security systems.
Vehicle security systems have been available for a longer period of time relative to cellular telephones. Nonetheless, vehicle security systems have also grown in capability and sophistication in recent years. For example, systems currently on the market provide for remote arming and disarming of the alarm, locking and unlocking of the vehicle's doors, controlling the windows, or opening the trunk. An exemplary security system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,064. However, the remote capability of a typical conventional security system is limited. These remote controls have a typical operating range of less than one hundred yards since they generally rely on a radio or infrared link of very limited range. Further, these systems generally provided simple on, off, or status indications, yet there are many situations that require a broader, more versatile, and more powerful communication link.
U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 32,856, reissued Feb. 7, 1989, to Millsap et al.; 4,809,316 issued Feb. 28, 1989, to Namekawa; and 4,821,309, issued Apr. 11, 1989, to Namekawa show systems integrating cellular telephone systems with alarm systems. Millsap's system is adapted to provide an alarm system for protected premises at a fixed location and is therefore not applicable to vehicle protection. The Namekawa systems require the use of a proprietary cellular telephone system and therefore do not allow for use with cellular telephones manufactured by others. Thus, none of the large variety of cellular telephone systems already installed in vehicles will readily accept the system described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,316 and 4,821,309.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a versatile cellular security system which is compatible with a wide variety of cellular telephones.